Lawmakers work to secure future for the Arkell family

Friday

May 30, 2014 at 2:00 AM

BRENTWOOD — With this heartbroken community still mourning the loss of slain Brentwood Police officer Stephen Arkell, efforts continue to ensure that his family receives the financial help it needs through federal and state benefits and private donations.

Jason Schreiber

BRENTWOOD — With this heartbroken community still mourning the loss of slain Brentwood Police officer Stephen Arkell, efforts continue to ensure that his family receives the financial help it needs through federal and state benefits and private donations.

The death of the 48-year-old part-time officer, who was killed in the line of duty on May 12, has led to an outpouring of emotional and monetary support for his wife and two teenage daughters and many are trying to make sure that continues in the long term.

Arkell was shot and killed when he walked through the door while responding to a home at 46 Mill Pond Road to investigate a verbal disturbance. The gunman, Michael Nolan, 47, was also found dead at the scene following a fire and explosion.

Because the 15-year veteran of the police force was a part-time officer and not full time, Arkell's wife, Heather, isn't eligible to receive a death pension through the New Hampshire Retirement System.

If Arkell had been a full-time officer, his wife would receive 50 percent of his annual salary until the time of her death.

That's something some people would like to see changed.

"I think it should be a state law. At least there would be something to look forward to," said Kensington Police Chief Michael Selicki, president of the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police.

State Sen. Russell Prescott, R-Kingston, said he's already heard from many concerned citizens who want lawmakers to take a closer look at the state and federal benefits available to those who die in the line of duty. He said there have been some discussions in the state Senate since Arkell's death.

Legislative measures could be proposed if there are deficiencies, he said.

"We just have to confirm what is available and what is going to happen to the family and then make a decision at that time. It certainly is on everybody's mind in Brentwood and they want to make sure I do my job and I'm trying to do that," Prescott said.

Marty Karlon, public information officer for the New Hampshire Retirement System, said he hasn't received any calls from lawmakers or others from the community seeking to change the law to cover part-time officers following Arkell's death.

"It is a terrible tragedy and certainly our hearts go out to the family and the community," he said.

While a pension isn't an option in this case, Arkell's family is entitled to a one-time $100,000 death benefit provided by the state of New Hampshire under Michael's Law, which was enacted after Manchester Police officer Michael Briggs was shot and killed while on duty in 2006.

However, Selicki said he recently learned that the federal government taxes that state death benefit.

Selicki said he and Greenland Police Chief Tara Laurent are hoping changes can be made to make the benefit tax exempt. U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D, N.H., and Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., have already been asked to help address the issue through federal legislation.

In addition to the $100,000 from New Hampshire, the federal Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act will provide Arkell's wife with a $333,605 death benefit and college scholarship money to his daughters.

Other financial help is coming from fund-raisers, like a TD Bank fund that has generated more than $52,000 through the Web site www.stevearkell.com, and private donations from organizations like the Chief Michael Maloney Memorial Fund, which gave $5,000, and the Hundred Club of New Hampshire.

"These tragedies happen more often than anybody would wish. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the community and the family. We hope that this is a time of healing for everybody and we wish them our best," said Michael Bucci, the Hundred Club's executive director.

The Hundred Club gives the surviving spouse of any line of duty death $10,000 and offers a college scholarship of up to $26,000 a year for the spouse and each surviving child.

The club will also pay two weeks of a summer camp for the children and remains in contact with the family to offer emotional support, especially around the time of holidays and birthdays.

"We stay with them for the long haul," Bucci said.

Brentwood state Rep. Curtis Grace is also looking into the financial support that's available and what more could be done to assist the Arkell family.

He's heard some people suggest that the Arkells should receive a property tax abatement from the town.

Grace said the Arkell family will receive financial help for the short term, but he worries about the long-term impact and stressed the importance of having a life insurance policy that may be more beneficial than a pension.

"I think that everybody who's in harm's way with a family should have life insurance. To me, life insurance could be that mechanism to give the family the level of money they probably need," he said.

Selicki, the Kensington police chief, insisted that all communities need to start exploring ways to provide life insurance to their police officers, firefighters, and other emergency workers.

"Unfortunately, a lot of these towns and cities don't want to pay for that. In this day and age, I think communities need to take a hard look at what they're doing," he said.

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